[The Somme As it happened](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/01/the-battle-of-the-somme-as-it-happened-on-july-1-1916/)
Today 100 years ago, in the Somme region of France, one of the bloodiest battles in history was started, on this first day, the British army took 57,470 casualties, 19,240 were killed. Over the course of the battle that raged between 1st of July to 18th October, 1916 623,907 Allied casualties were taken, 146,431 of these were killed.
465,000 German casualties were taken, 164.055 were killed and 38,000 were taken prisoner.
The 'grand' total casualties is an estimate of 1,666,289
250,000 artillery shells were fired by the Royal artillery on the first day....
We beleive one of my ancestors was involved in the mining of the Somme, constructing gigantic explosive devices under enemy tranches, and then blowing them 'to kingdom come' before allied troops seiner the gigantic craters.
The battle helped relieve the pressure on the French at verdun.
It suffered major critisism and earned Mr Haig the nickname of Butcher Haig,
I know the German imperial flag is wrong....
Anyway.
Lest we forget.........
Specifications
General Characteristics
- Created On iOS
- Wingspan 38.5ft (11.8m)
- Length 13.1ft (4.0m)
- Height 46.5ft (14.2m)
- Empty Weight 3,877lbs (1,758kg)
- Loaded Weight 3,877lbs (1,758kg)
Performance
- Wing Loading 439,839.3lbs/ft2 (2,147,483.6kg/m2)
- Wing Area 0.0ft2 (0.0m2)
- Drag Points 29640
Parts
- Number of Parts 43
- Control Surfaces 0
- Performance Cost 105
I predicted someone would say that... Lol @ThunderscreechEngineering
You can still see the massive impact of the Great War in the UK... Memorials dot the landscape every village has one, many graveyards have gravestones of people lost in the war, and big monuments to those who are buried in France. @Spikerya
R.I.P. and hope for all of the families whose lives were impacted by this
I like history of ww1 I didn't know it was today.....huh
1,666,289? Conspiracy time...
As It happened
R.I.P.